Sam's Club, the warehouse club division of Wal-Mart Stores, is cutting about 11,200 jobs as it outsources its in-store demonstrations.

The cuts represent about 10 percent of the warehouse club operator's 110,000 staffers across its 600 stores. There are 22 across North Carolina, including four in the Triangle in Raleigh, Morrisville and Durham.

Sam's spokeswoman Susan Koehler said none of this region's stores will close but that on average, the number of employees per store that were affected was 15 to 20. Nationwide, the cuts include 10,000 workers, mostly part-timers, who offer food samples and showcase products to customers. The company also eliminated 1,200 workers who recruit new members.

Employees were told the news at mandatory meetings on Sunday morning.

Shopper Events, based in Rogers, Ark., currently works with Wal-Mart's namesake stores on in-store demonstrations. Sam's Club is looking to the company to improve sampling in areas such as electronics, personal wellness products and food items to entice shoppers to spend more.

Raleigh developer Granite Development has filed suit against
Wal-Mart Stores, claiming the world’s largest retailer owes it more
than $75,000 in damages for violating an agreement to develop property
in Southeast Raleigh.

The lawsuit comes nearly two years after Wal-Mart scratched
plans to build a new store on property located at Rock Quarry and
Sunnybrook roads.

The suit alleges that under the joint development agreement
between Granite and Wal-Mart, the Bentonville, Ark., chain was
obligated to perform some work on the property that would allow the
site to develop into a shopping center.

That work has yet to be
completed.

The state's largest employer is preparing to hire 425 workers in Apex.

OK, so not everyone wants to be a part-time greeter at a new Wal-Mart. But the store also needs full-time employees, including supervisors. And the retailer has done a lot during the past few years to polish its reputation, including improving benefits.

Fans of TV's "America's Next Top Model" might want to check out what's new in "high-fashion" at Wal-Mart.

The stores have started carrying the ANTM line of clothing and accessories, according to this article in the Los Angeles Times.

The line is certainly priced right. A duffle for $6? A hoodie for $6? Both are on sale, of course. But still. That's cheap. Most of the line feels very dorm-room cozy, with lots of capri sweats, hoodies and tanks that are perfect for lounging with the girls.

The past 12 months have been hectic to say the least. Gone, it seems, is the slow pace of life so many people long associated with rural living. As eastern Wake County has become more suburban, the pace of life — and news — has increased.

Here's a look at some of the biggest news stories of 2008. Feel free to comment if you think we've left something out.

The nation's biggest big-box made news throughout the region in 2008. Wal-Mart pulled out of plans to anchor a new shopping center in Knightdale. That decision effectively scuttled the entire project for developer Rick Rowe. He faced stiff opposition from neighbors who didn't want the commercial development in their backyard. Meanwhile, in Zebulon there were no such problems with neighbors as Wal-Mart opened its store on N.C. 97 at U.S. 264. The opening of that store has brought with it several other chains, including Alltel, RadioShack and Murphy Oil.

Business news was a regular part of the news junkie's diet in 2008 as the housing market crumbled and banks started admitting problems with risky subprime mortgages. No banks in eastern Wake County have shuttered their doors, but the pace of residential development has slowed to a crawl as developers find it difficult to gain access to credit. The biggest victim of the credit crunch appears to be the developers of Wendell Falls who have all but stopped work on a project that would triple the town's population.

The past year also saw an historic election. Barack Obama defeated John McCain for the presidency, becoming the first black person to ever win that office. Before Obama defeated McCain he had to fend off a challenge from former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton who entered 2008 as the prohibitive favorite to win the Democratic nomination. Her campaign included a barnstorming visit to North Carolina by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, who held a rally in downtown Zebulon just a few days before the North Carolina primary in May.

Next week's print edition of the Eastern Wake News will include a closer look of what made the headlines in 2008.